Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Foster Avenue, Beeston NG9 1AB

Contact: Email: committees@broxtowe.gov.uk 

Media

Items
No. Item

36.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

37.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 116 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 November were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

38.

BUSINESS PLANS AND FINANCIAL ESTIMATES 2022/23 - 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 434 KB

To consider proposals for business plans, detailed revenue budget estimates for 2022/23; capital programme for 2022/23 to 2024/25; and proposed fees and charges for 2022/23 in respect of the Council’s priority areas.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered the proposals for business plans, detailed revenue budget estimates for 2022/23; capital programme for 2022/23 to 2024/25; and proposed fees and charges for 2022/23 in respect of the Council’s priority areas. The Council’s business and financial planning framework identified key service and spending pressures and prioritised resources accordingly, taking into account national and local priorities.

 

The report included both the Environment Business Plan and the Bereavement Services Business Plan and associated budgets covering the priority areas.

 

1.         RESOLVED that the Environment Business Plan and the Bereavement Services Business Plan be approved.

 

2.         RECOMMENDED that the Finance and Resources Committee recommends to Council that the following be approved:

 

a)    The detailed revenue budget estimates for 2022/23 (base) including any revenue development submissions.

 

b)   The capital programme for 2022/23 to 2024/25

 

c)    The fees and charges for 2022/23.

39.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT- PRIVATE CONTRACTOR pdf icon PDF 297 KB

To seek approval for a qualified private contractor to be appointed to undertake Environmental Enforcement on a trial basis and to increase the cost of a Fixed Penalty Notice for littering.

Minutes:

The Committee was asked to seek approval for a qualified private contractor to be appointed to undertake Environmental Enforcement on a trial basis and to increase the cost of a Fixed Penalty Notice for littering.

 

Discussions ensued with using private contractors, the effect of fines and litter surrounding large business chains. Members felt that they required further information to assess advantages and disadvantages of the enforcement options. Councillors praised volunteers who had helped with litter picking and dog fouling within their Community.

 

It was proposed by Councillor D K Watts and seconded by Councillor T Hallam that a review be prepared of all the practical options for dealing with issues of littering and dog fouling, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each together with the costs associated with those options, and for a report to be presented to a future meeting of the Cabinet. On being put to the meeting the motion was passed.

 

RESOLVED to ask that a review be prepared of all the practical options for dealing with issues of littering and dog fouling, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each together with the costs associated with those options, and for a report to be presented to a future meeting of the Cabinet.

40.

FREE TREES pdf icon PDF 199 KB

To advise Members of updates relating to the scheme to provide free trees to Broxtowe residents.

 

Minutes:

Members considered the updates relating to the scheme to provide free trees to Broxtowe residents.

 

It was proposed to allocate 750 native trees as part of the Free Tree Scheme for 2022/23 at a cost of £4.75 per tree. To help offset the cost, the possibility of obtaining sponsorship for the Free Tree Scheme would be explored.

 

Incentives to join the Green Rewards Scheme would be developed to link the scheme to the Climate Change Strategy and Green Futures Programme. The importance of the collective approach to Climate Change and the benefits that planting a new tree brings would be emphasised.

 

It was confirmed Hawthorn trees would not be part of the Free Tree Scheme and that all trees had different values with carbon offsetting.

 

RESOLVED that 750 native trees be provided and that options for sponsorship of the scheme be explored.

41.

BROXTOWE PARKS STANDARD pdf icon PDF 214 KB

To update Members on the outcome of the latest consultation and site assessments relating to the Broxtowe Parks Standard.

Minutes:

Members noted the outcome of the latest consultation and site assessments relating to the Broxtowe Parks Standard. Having a uniform standard across all the sites was seen as a fair and positive way of improving the quality and visitor experience of the parks and open spaces. Consultation took place using an online questionnaire with 577 responses received. All sites were inspected by Officers from the Parks teams to assess concerns raised from the consultation process and check that the scores achieved was a true reflection for the sites.

42.

PRIDE IN PARKS - PLAY AREA AND PARKS/OPEN SPACE IMPROVEMENTS pdf icon PDF 199 KB

To update Members on the Pride in Parks initiative.

Minutes:

The Committee noted the progress on the schemes in the Capital programme as part of the Pride in Parks initiative and proposals for 2022/23 and beyond.  Funding had been allocated to undertake improvements to the Borough owned play areas that was identified as high and medium priorities in the Play Strategy and to the Town and Parish Councils that maintain their own parks and outdoor recreational facilities to enable improvement and renovation works to be undertaken at these sites.

 

43.

CLEAN AND GREEN UPDATE pdf icon PDF 211 KB

To update Members on the progress of the ‘Clean and Green’ initiative.

 

Minutes:

Committee was updated on the progress of the Clean and Green initiative. The initiative supports the Councils corporate vision of a greener, safer, healthier Broxtowe where everyone prospers and to protect the environment for the future. Officers had been engaging with schools and community groups to deliver small urban rewilding schemes around the Councils parks and open spaces. These initiatives included planting around 80 trees at Hetley Pearson Recreation Ground, 3000 native spring bulbs at Leyton Crescent Recreation Ground with the support from pupils of Beeston Rylands Junior School, Incredible Edible Community Growing Group and Beeston Wildlife Group and The Friends Group at Brinsley Headstocks Local Nature Reserve introduced native woodland plants into some young woodland.

 

44.

UPDATE ON CARBON EMISSIONS AND PROGRESS TOWARDS CARBON NEUTRALITY BY 2027 pdf icon PDF 848 KB

To update Members on the Council’s carbon footprint and progress towards becoming carbon neutral by 2027.

 

Minutes:

Members were updated on the Council’s carbon footprint and progress towards becoming carbon neutral by 2027. As of 31 January 2022 there were 2,160 days remaining for the Council to achieve the commitment to become carbon neutral by 31 December 2027.